Do you know your poke from your furikake? They're more delicious than they sound. Poke is a classic Hawaiian dish that usually includes raw fish. But this veggie-centric version uses cooked beets instead, along with the classic ginger dressing to bring out the sweetness of the beets.

The topper, furikake, is a showstopper. The flaky, crunchy condiment is a kind of Japanese everything-bagel seasoning, with lightly flavored fish flakes added.

It's a perfect warm-weather dish, a new salad for your summer repertoire. Bring it to the beach, says author Jose Andres.

Cook beets: Wash beets and place them in a stock pot with cold water over high heat. Bring them to a boil and cook until you can penetrate a paring knife to the center, approximately 25-30 minutes.

Once cooked, remove the beets from the water and peel them under cold water, the skin should easily come off. Remove the tops and bottoms.

Dice the peeled beets into 1-inch chunks.

Make marinade: Measure vinegar, water and sugar into a small stockpot and heat over medium heat. Stir briskly until the sugar dissolves. Add the salt and ginger, and place the peppercorns in a spice diffuser or piece of cheesecloth hooked to the side and submerge. Bring the marinade to a boil, and remove from the heat, taking out the peppercorns. Pour the hot marinade over the cut beets, and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to use, drain the marinade from the beets (you can keep it and use it again by storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator) and place the beets in a small bowl.

Assemble: Toss beets with the soy sauce and sesame oil. In a separate bowl, combine the cubed carrots and cut sweet onion. Divide the marinated and dressed beets, rice, seaweed salad and carrot-onion blend into four bowls. Sprinkle the rice with furikake and garnish with scallions. Serve immediately.